Authenticity.

Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

I really like this word because when all is said and done, business is about people.

And in this day and age of the mile-long, hyped-up, disingenuous, contrived and calculating sales page, authenticity always catches us by surprise — very pleasantly so.

So what is authenticity all about?

Well, I love how John More of Brand Autopsy describes it. When asked about his pick (authenticity) by Scott Ginsberg for the RainToday.com article The Most Important Word in Marketing, Part II, More answers:

“With the world becoming one gigantic ad, consumers today can sniff out anything that smells the least bit fake and inauthentic. Success will come truer and faster if companies can design products, programs, and services that are authentic in meaning, purpose, and delivery.”

Explaining a bit more deeply about what that meant, he states:

“Authenticity is usually a by-product of a purpose-driven business. And, unfortunately, there ain’t enough businesses out there with the purpose of making a positive difference in the world.”

Words to live by.

Authenticity never goes out of style; it comes from within, and there’s no purchase necessary.